Al-Rahi wants new president to confront forces 'acting as if state has no dignity'
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday demanded the election of a president who would "not only demarcate the state's border with the countries surrounding Lebanon, but also with Lebanese forces acting as if there are no inviolability, borders nor dignity for the state, legitimacy and the army."
"When we say that we don't want a provocative president, we don't at all mean that we want a president who would be challenged by everyone," al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon.
"The president's ability to confront provocations and challenges stems in the first place from his ethics, immunity to temptations, resilience in the face of intimidation, respect for the constitution and turning to the people at the critical junctures," the patriarch added.
"His ability is his expertise in the public and national affairs," he went on to say.
He added that the new president should not be elected based on "a book of terms for this or that camp," but rather based on "his vision for Lebanon's fate."
"That's why we ask all the parties concerned with this presidential juncture to launch a wave of contacts and consultations with the hope that they agree on a candidate who enjoys these characteristics," al-Rahi urged.
Source: Naharnet
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